A piece of wedding cake more than forty years old might not be everyone's dream purchase but for one bidder in Leeds, it's the ultimate auction coup.
A mystery internet buyer from the city has purchased a slice of the Prince and Princess of Wales wedding cake at auction, paying top dollar for the slab - which features a marzipan base and a large piece of icing emblazoned with a sugared onlay of the royal crest.
The bidder forked out nearly £2,000 for the extra mature slice, which comes from one of 23 official wedding cakes released when Charles and Dianna got married in 1981. A serious amount of money to spend on a cake that you (probably) can't actually eat.
The cake was stored wrapped in clingfilm in a floral tin for years / Image: Dominic Winter Auctioneers / PA
The slice was originally given to Moya Smith, who was a member of the Queen Mother's household in residence at Clarence House at the time of the wedding.
She'd begun her career in the kitchen, before moving on to more general duties in the household at the suggestion of Lady Jean Rankin.
Moya preserved the topping with cling film, before storing it in an old floral cake tin labelled "Handle with Care - Prince Charles & Princess Diane's (sic) Wedding Cake" and dated 29/7/81, where it then sat for quite a few years before being sold by her family to a collector in 2008.
Since being sold in 2008, the cake came up for auction once again - this time around the time of what would've been the couple's 40th wedding anniversity.
The fourty-year-old royal wedding cake slice went under the hammer in Gloucestershire on Wednesday, and was initially expected to go for somewhere between £300 and £500.
However, auctioneers were pleasantly surprised to find a huge amount of interest in the cake - which ended up in a flurry of bigs that pushed the final sale price to £1,850.
"We were amazed at the numbers of people wanting to bid on this large and unique piece of royal cake icing," said Chris Albury, of Dominic Winter Auctioneer.
"It seemed to get far more attention than when we sold it with a Charles & Diana thank you letter 13 years ago.
"There were lots of inquiries from bidders, mostly in the UK, USA and several countries in the Middle East.
It's thought that the slice up for auction comes either from the side of a cake, or from the top of a single-tier cake / Image: Dominic Winter Auctioneers / PA
"The bidding started at £300 and with commission bids, the internet and phone bidding, quickly rose to the winning price of £1,850.
"It was bought by an internet bidder in Leeds.
"As yet we haven't had a chance to speak to them to get a reaction or ask why they bought it, but it seems that this was an irresistible piece of royal memorabilia history for many."
Prince Charles and Lady Dianna married in 1981 at St. Paul's Cathedral on July 29 and had a total of 23 wedding cakes at the ceremony.
The couple's centrepiece cake was a five-tiered creation, but there were also some 22 other cakes supplied for the occasion by various bakers.
The cake was sold with a printed ceremonial and order of service programmes for the wedding, as well as a memorial Royal Wedding Breakfast programme for Buckingham Palace.
Feature image - Dominic Winter Auctioneers / PA
News
Dazzling Christmas light trail Northern Lights will return to Leeds this year
Temple Newsam will be transformed into a brand-new immersive festive story event.
Following a second successful winter, Leeds’ spectacular immersive light show Northern Lights is returning with a brand-new journey.
The Lost Light of Christmas is a narrative driven adventure that will lead visitors around the iconic grounds of Temple Newsam this winter, running from Friday 20 November to Thursday 31 December 2026.
With over 100,000 visitors each year, Northern Lights Leeds has been completely reimagined this winter with a showcase of exclusive art installations from some of the UK’s leading light artists.
Image: Supplied
There'll be special effects, interactive elements and bespoke audio compositions all tied together with an illuminating new narrative theme.
Visitors will follow a glowing trail through enchanted forests, along sparkling pathways and around shimmering lagoons with plenty of hidden surprises along the way as you help the fairies on their quest restore the Lost Light of Christmas before it goes out forever.
Approximately one mile in length, the light trail will host over a dozen illuminations with a curated selection of vintage fairground rides and a variety of classic festive treats, including mulled wine, hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows.
Images: Supplied
Ben Robinson - Director, From The Fields said: “After two incredible years at Temple Newsam we’re thrilled to be reinventing Northern Lights Leeds. The team have excelled themselves with a truly immersive narrative experience unlike anything we’ve ever done before and we think Leeds is going to love The Lost Light of Christmas.
"Having worked with Temple Newsam closely over the past few years, we’re constantly improving the Northern Lights experience in order to make it as inclusive and accessible as we can."
Tickets for The Lost Light of Christmas will go on sale Thursday 2 July with prices starting at £12.00 for children and £17.00 for adults. Get yours here.
A ‘Mini Mall’ full of independent food traders and local brands is coming to Leeds city centre
Clementine Hall
The Merrion Centre is set to become the home of an exciting new retail and food destination this summer.
Introducing The Mini Mall, an innovative retail concept designed to create a flagship city-centre destination for local brands, artisan producers and independent food traders.
The new 4,885 sq ft ground-floor space will be completely dedicated entirely to independent Yorkshire brands, artisan producers, and local food creators.
Operating as a premium 'satellite department store', The Mini Mall provides established independent businesses with fully staffed, centrally managed retail bays.
Image: Supplied
Shoppers can expect a carefully curated selection of Yorkshire-based homeware designers, fashion labels, craft producers, and street food vendors under one roof.
The Mini Mall will open on Saturday 25July with an official public grand opening featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony, live brand showcases, and the full launch of the Mini Food Hall.to meet the makers behind the brands.
Shaz Westfield, founder of Eventszo, said: "The Mini Mall was created to give independent businesses the opportunity to trade in a prime city-centre location without the barriers that often come with traditional retail.
“Yorkshire is home to an incredible community of makers, creators and food businesses, and our goal is to provide a platform where they can grow, connect with new customers and thrive. We're delighted to be launching our flagship venue at the Merrion Centre and look forward to building a destination that champions local talent and entrepreneurship."
Charles Newman, asset management director at Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS), owners of The Merrion Centre, said: "What makes the Merrion Centre different is the breadth and character of our occupier mix. We've always championed businesses that bring something unique to the city centre, creating a destination that offers visitors experiences they won't find elsewhere on the high street."
You can find out more about Leeds' new Mini Mall here.
Georgina Pellant -
12th August 2021 
